Treatment of adjuvant-induced arthritis with the combination of methotrexate and probiotic bacteria Escherichia coli O83 (Colinfant®)

Abstract

A certain relationship was observed between the gastrointestinal system, arthritis and immune system. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis have an altered microflora composition and disturbed intestinal defensive barrier. Effect of probiotic bacteria (Colinfant; COL) with known favorable effect on intestinal microflora was determined on the methotrexate (MTX) treatment of adjuvant arthritis. Rats with adjuvant arthritis were administered methotrexate 0.5 mg/kg body mass 2-times weekly per os, COL 1 mL/kg body mass every second day per os, and a combination of MTX+COL for a period of 28 d from the immunization. Levels of serum albumin, body mass, changes in hind paw swelling, and arthrogram score were estimated in rats as variables of inflammation and destructive arthritis-associated changes. Treatment with MTX, as well as with the combination treatment with MTX+COL significantly inhibited both inflammation and destructive arthritis-associated changes. The combination treatment inhibited both the hind paw swelling and arthrogram score more remarkably than MTX alone; on the other hand, the difference between combination treatment and MTX alone was not significant. Treatment with COL alone had no effect on adjuvant arthritis in rats. Colinfant can increase the preventive effect of MTX treatment in rat adjuvant arthritis by improving its antiarthritic effects.

Modern Pharmacological Approaches to Therapies: Substances Tested in Animal Models of Rheumatoid Arthritis

“…In the present study, the decreasing effect of MTX monotherapy on hind paw swelling was evident on all monitored days (Table 12). The significance of this effect was a confirmation of its well known antiarthritic effect, which we proved also previously on the AA model Nosal et al, 2007;Rovensky et al, 2009). As shown in Table 12, the combination therapy was the most effective in decreasing the HPV of arthritic animals on all experimental days selected.…”

Combined methotrexate and coenzyme Q₁₀ therapy in adjuvant-induced arthritis evaluated using parameters of inflammation and oxidative stress.

“…1). The significance of this effect was a confirmation of its wellknown antiarthritic effect, which we proved also previously on the adjuvant arthritis model (Nosal et al, 2007;Jurcovicova et al, 2009;Rovensky et al, 2009c). Due to the adverse effects of MTX accompanying its administration to arthritic patients, which are factors often limiting the acceptable dose, duration and safety of the therapy with MTX (Visser & van der Heijde, 2009), a combinatory therapy of MTX is recommended with the aim to eliminate or minimalize these limitations.…”

The role of gut microbiota (commensal bacteria) and the mucosal barrier in the pathogenesis of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases and cancer: contribution of germ-free and gnotobiotic animal models of human diseases

“…124 Exciting results were obtained from a recent study performed using a mouse model of rheumatoid arthritis, where it was demonstrated that a germfree state decreases the clinical and autoimmune markers of arthritis. However, colonization with a unique non-cultivable bacterial strain belonging to mouse commensals, i.e., with segmented filamentous bacteria, induced the Th17 subpopulation, leading to clinical symptoms and increases in autoantibody production.…”